Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead BlackBook DesignHalloween Mixtape

ChiChi x Kiko Escora
Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead - A Blackbook Design x Kiki Machine Mixtape
Click Here To Download

I recently had an idea to create and collaborate with different artists as I felt like this is what the local community lacked or dare I say , needed. Plus I just wanted to do it for the fun of it! Not that I am a heavy - weight in the community, but I think it is a healthy idea, one which has rarely been done (especially in this context) and an organic process especially when people are on the same wave length. The more organic things are the better the results therefore, making the people involved feel good. And when other people experience the results, they might feel good as well. ( I feel like a hippie right now, but whatever.)

Keeping this concept in mind , I had the idea of putting it in an audio and visual experience in the form of a mixtape well, maybe a digital mixtape, but the concept of the mixtape remains. The mixtapes will be made weekly or bi weekly depending on permission of schedules with artists that will be involved. They will be based on a theme and I will be creating or collaborating with the cover art for every mixtape. The Black Book design mixtapes maybe downloaded on the link right below the track lists. (feel free to click away)

This particular mixtape (1st) is made by Kiko Escora a.k.a. Kiki Machine, who is a friend and an artist i respect a lot. He is one the creators and DJs of Fluxxe (Thursday nights at 32nd Street Fort Santiago. Come by to see what's up.) and the director of Manila Animal.

SWOON

Thank you so much to Anne and the good people of Gestalten.tv for sending me this video!

Swoon is a street artist from New York who specializes in wheat pasting and focuses on the negative and positive spaces of her illustrations and cut - outs of people in the streets. She understands that there is a certain connection between viewer and the subject on the street and this is what she tries to evoke in my opinion. She is working on a new "boat" project with justseeds (her art collective) and also with other artists. Swoon is one of the most prolific sticker/wheat paste artists today. But she is a different breed of artist in this context as I am glad to see that she is not only doing the visual aspect of street art. But also the conceptual as well seen in her previous work.

This kind of street artist, street context and awareness will I hope one day seep out from the cracks of this city. Don't get me wrong, there already are some out there. I'll feature them soon so keep glued.

Needles In Haystacks

As I said before, I would be posting something about a place I recently went to with Kix of mean streets manila and Julius of Bee Eyes. And here it is tits and tots, i present to you the ukay ukay a place where you can find gems and buy them in exchange for what technically can amount to a happy meal.The ukay ukay's concept was initially not really intended for capitalism. All the clothes found here, are supposedly donations to under - privileged folk from countries like the U.S. , Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong. But of course, in these hard - times and in the classic "resilient" pinoy fashion, they have turned these donations into cash cows. The ukay ukay has turned into an alternative retail experience for a lot of citizens.

By the way, the outlawing of ukay ukays happened ten years ago. Now the population of ukays have been so rampant that it's concepts primary intention has been forgotten and the present capitalist structure it holds is now very accepted by society. Why? because it can cater to anyone. From the convenient prices for the lower - class to the brand - conscious madness of the middle - class and quite possibly even some of the upper - class and the fashion concious (basically those who just want to have just a piece or a "vintage" find).

Yes ladies and gentle men, the ukay ukay is for me, the fast-food of retail. For a good price you can fill your retail stomach with the quick - fix , the good buy, or if your lucky, your own personal holy grail (i.e. designer bags , shoes , shirts what have you.) Just be sure it's real folks. Time to go hunting for bears.

Do You Know EKIS?

Ekis is a member of KST and is one of the fastest evolving writers in the Philippines to date. He is also a graphic artist. He started bombing using a character skull with an X for eyes and soon he evolved as one of the most talented and multi - versed writers here in the Philippines. Maybe, if you keep your third eye peeled, and aimed around the city... you'll see his EKIS tags with perfect circles as the accent? This is proof of how he experiments constantly with different styles.



He can do it all from tags to bubble - like letters and also monster letters. EKIS is strongly rooted with the concept of letter - forms as the basis for his styles. His background for painting has always been strongly against the government. Ekis is one of those people who hates the proverbial system and aims to show his disapproval for it by taking it out on the streets. He is one of those people to watch out for because of his exponential growth and consistency as a writer.

Skhizein is the Greek word were schizophrenia was derived from. Here's a short film to make you think. Enjoy.

Skhizein (Jérémy Clapin,2008) from Stephen Dedalus on Vimeo.

THE ON WYD

WYD is an online video blog that interviews independent people and focuses on the independent lifestyle. This online show showcases the uprising of the new Filipino culture and it's community. MYD answers one thing and one thing only; Why you do what you do. Executive Produced by Julo de Guzman of Commune Manila Directed by dom Dycaico.

WYD EP 5 - THE Clothing from WYD1 on Vimeo.

WYD EP 5 features Dino Sarmiento, Mara Reyes, Jeric Robleza, Auggie Fontanilla of THE clothing. THE is an artist collaboration brand that is up and rising to an exponential level in terms of growth. Watch out for bigger things from them. See what they're all about at THE clothing in Unit 4A Cubao X , Cubao

Like the people they feature it's well directed, and well executed. This is a taste of Filipino quality.

LOVE IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

This is a preview of a future post. I saw some local tags made with love and some pictures of people during hard-times photographed with love (pun - intended). It was a Friday afternoon. Bored. So I hit up Kix of Mean Street Manila and Julius of Bee Eyes whom I featured in this blog before . We went around town looking for some culture. Can you guess where from these pictures? Leave a comment on the shout box to your right if you think you know where. Clue: it starts with a U.

Speed Bowling For Milk Riddles

BabyCorn illustration by ChiChi

Embryos form inside a mothers womb until the right time comes for them to be released into this world. When they come out the precursor of their success will be left with the decade old debate of nature vs. nurture. A prodigy. A prodigy is concept of a child possessing gifts that equal or at most times even surpass those who have come before them. What is a prodigy?

prod·i·gy (prd-j)
n. pl. prod·i·gies
1. A person with exceptional talents or powers: a math prodigy.
2. An act or event so extraordinary or rare as to inspire wonder. See Synonyms at wonder.
3. A portentous sign or event; an omen.

This is Milkriddles, a 20 year old hungry hippo. Hungry in the sense of greater discoveries may it be hedonistic pleasure or musical orgasm. Hippo in the sense that despite his stocky shape and short legs, he can easily outrun a human in terms of talent and potential. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often regarded as the most ferocious animal in Africa. In Milkriddles context, he's one of the most aggressive undiscovered musicians when it comes to dismantling beats and samples and creating a sound of his own.

By the way he sounds coming out of headphones, he is fed up. Fed up with what he sees, he hears and what is being dictated to him. He is waiting to tear shit apart. His music sounds like a soft-spoken leader with a group of tryptologist girls singing while waiting to rise against present institutions before them. A particular he made in his LP called Earth As A Blur (click to download) track called if "If They Find Us" made me think of an undiscovered X-Men group hiding from a bomb that just hit Stalingrad.

Stop and look at the signs and you might see that times are changing. The youngins are learning much faster. Learning what? Everything. They are learning to broaden their horizon, open their ears, expand their palettes and multiply their aces. They are learning again to speak, answer , think, breath,inhale , exhale, play, fuck, create and destroy in a matter that is theirs...and in their own attention deficient pace. Kids now a days are brilliant hungry creatures.

The Muse.

Girl On Fire Illustration by ChiChi



Edie Sedgwick was the poor little rich girl. An heiress who chased her dreams to become somebody, she found what she was looking for in the form of the silver factory. It didn't take long before the life she loved became an addiction. An addiction she would abuse and an addiction that would abuse her aswell. She was the epitomy of a shooting star. To Andy Warhol she was THE shooting star.
Edie Sedgwick was an angel who ran with the wild horses and consequently got trampled by them.

Edie Sedgwick was beautiful, artistic , hungry and ambitious. Edie Sedgwick was fucked up. Inspiring. A true muse that transcends time.

Metelkova: This is where all the junkies GROW.

Click the photos for a larger view.

Yugoslavia - This place is called Metelkova. It used to be a prison and a military barracks (the Slovenian headquarters of the Yugoslav National Army). Artists started to squat here around September 1993. The site consists of seven buildings and was 12,500 m². The name of the squat comes from the surname of the 19th century Slovenian Roman Catholic priest, philologist and unsuccessful language reformer Fran Metelko, after whom the nearby street is named. This place started as a squatters district was subsequently supported by the government after artists took over the place. As you can see they basically made the place their own. This place has held jazz festivals, art festivals and concerts.

It's very inspiring to see the freedom of expression and the concept of socialism and communism is very evident in this place. You can see it by the installations on the walls (Graffiti,sculptures etc.) See what I think our country lacks is the sense of actual unity in scenes.Here, it's all capitalism and it's all selfish personal gain. Which I personally am guilty of but i'm just saying that we can't just focus on ourselves. Here in the Philippines it's about me not you. But hey , it's sometimes about us. Tribe mentality, it's historically rooted in our culture. People have a snobbish mentality because of it. Yugoslavia used to be a communist country, but I see it has worked great for them culturally. What we should have with the different scenes (i.e. art , street art, music, film) is a giant tribe. What are we? We are capitalists. We are selfish. The product of this is a slow growth. We need to build an awareness towards network building and collaboration. A spider-web of concept builders, executors , executioners towards cultural unity ultimately resulting into a strong unified community that the government actually supports (the latter part is a dream).


My old friend Tengal visit his myspace.(listen to GODHEAD)

is in Yugoslavia right now and he's building networks and institutions with artists there. Imagine a Philippine Ambasador.. but for our art's sake. He sent me these photos and we both agreed that this is what we lack. The value of sharing.

Pale Blue Eyes

This would be the perfect song to wake up to. I reckon.

JAN BONDAD AND OBJECTS OF CURIOSITIES

Thought Catcher By Jan Bondad
How I Make My Eggs In The Morning by Jan Bondad

The mind is complex, as complex as the individual wants it to be. Although some choose to keep the process in which they think result in ways far less intellectual or productive than what they could have achieved. For example, a student was given 30 minutes to present a subject matter in psychology. Given a week to prepare, the only time she does read about the subject matter is on the day of the presentation itself. The result? A lack of understanding on her part on the subject matter giving her a grade that is safe to say FAIL. And a 2 hour long ride to death by boredom for the classmates and professor she presented to. In another spectrum , it's like deliberately watching Paris Hilton's my new BFF on television for 25 minutes minus the commercials just to see which social climber gets booted off next. Aaah yes the battle of inner conflict for the submission against idiosyncrasy continues.

In the form of expression, the individual either chooses to become minimal or extravagant in it.
In expressing oneself the human being turns into a Rube Goldberg machine. An apparatus which is deliberately over-engineered to perform a very simple task in a very complex fashion.
Once again this concept, applied in expression remains as a decision.


Jan Bondad is an artist born in the Philippines , grew up and educated in Don Bosco until he moved to Europe and went into art school. I was lucky enough to meet this guy and hear his stories. The first time I met him he was talking about how street art should be more conceptual now like throwing lcd lights on to walls and waiting till nightfall to see the effects. I thought it was wierd. But I also thought it was quit genius. He told stories about lolapalooza and how he lost his feet in the mud after taking a slide of acid. He woke out of the trip after two days. Take note that he doesn't do the acid slides often but it was just a story that stuck to my long term memory because of the way he told it. When he was here, he submerged himself in the quiapo culture by going there and just going around the cultural maze of history , capitalism and being cheap. He even participated in the Parade Of The Black Nazarene just so he could see the chaos.
His works, like his lifestyle promotes conceptual understanding.
His way of expression is minimal. But like a Rube Goldberg Machine he can create things very simple but takes mental complexity .
The results may be simple but the process in which it is achieved is a deliberate action. Don't try too hard though your nose might bleed.

The Cat With Hands

The story of a cat who, legend has it, longs to become human.

Written, Directed and Animated
by Robert Morgan
Produced by Sylvie Bringas
Associate Producer: Eyal Shaphyr
Production company: Halo Productions

In a somewhat weird way, this short film reminds me of a Neil Gaiman Novel.

As a kid growing up to his stories, I always wanted to have dreams as visually stimulating and shocking as this. I'm sure I have, I just forgot them. Don't we all wish we could just remember our dreams? I imagine how more visually stimulating and mentally stimulating paintings can be. Or how conceptual art may possibly more absurd and installed into our waking lives. But then again maybe that is essentially where creativity and art come from; conscious use of imagination.

BEE EYES

Julius Bee Eye Ka! Illustration by chichi

Bee Eyes - Gangstaz Paradize (Live) from beeeyes on Vimeo.

Bee Eyes - Who Does (Live w/ Saab) from beeeyes on Vimeo.

Here's an acoustic version of their song "WHO DOES" with Saab


Conyo (noun)
1. see cunt
2."dude , pare , chong , I just had my yaya elmer's glue my mohawk while riding my horses through my hacienda in ayala alabang dooods. "

PUNK
1. A loud fast moving form of rock music with crude and aggressive effects, popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s

2. An aggressive and violent young criminal

Bee eyes is first and foremost from the Philippines. Second, they are a band. Third, they have a sound that you aren't sick of or haven't even heard of yet. The first time I watched them play, people were shocked with what they were hearing... . It was exciting and raw; it was an experience.

A lot of bands create songs on purposely aimed at making people dance, but Julius (vocals, guitars) , Idris (drums and vocals) and Diego ( bass) achieve what most bands can't....they're good because they're just being themselves. How do they do it? Individually they are different from the rest... Put together, they are an attack to what you know. They're not in it for the fame and glory.. but i say it'll be theirs if they stick to it. They are an attack to your comfort- zone. In the population of the crowd watching with me that night, majority of the people standing up were girls. Plus, they were dancing. Yes suckas , girls were really moving their bee - hinds for these boys. I suggest pogi bands practice some more or eat more rice if you aren't getting the same effect. And take note, these guys have only played a handful of gigs as the Bee eyes. They're song "Who Does" has been remixed by international DJ Spazzkid and they've been recently featured in Transpose Magazine.

If punk rock was 6 feet underground in this country, they have brought it back. These guys are resurrect - ors 'cause they bring back the dead. These boys play with balls out , and their tongue in cheek. Bee eyes sounds like a hungry zombie , standing on a surf - board , hung - over from a night with the beach boys, a bong - hit racing to the brain followed by an exhale and a choke.

They say on their Bee eyes myspace page that they sound like : "conyo punks".
I think it's a spit at a certain aspect of society.. I think it's a spit at pretension. I think they just coined a term. I think you'll all bite it.

OCTOBER 10 YOU GIVE AND YOU GET.

Here is your New poster. Releasing tonight at 8pm. KST releases the RISE poster. CUBAO X. All proceeds go to Red Cross and ADMU task force ondoy.



The KST Rise print release , coincides with Meiday at Cubao X. I say you must experience BEEEYES , a band you might have heard of and are unheard of. Their taste with music is always ahead of the majority's...this sound for your ears will be your nosebleed.

I've known these cats for a few years now and I admire how they have evolved musically into a sound that I am sure not a lot if Filipinos are aware of. But these guys don't really mind being different, because they don't try to.

OKTOPUSSY 3 MAN SHOW PREVIEW

EXLD Oil on Canvass
Okto Acrylic on Wood


If you haven't been to Okto , Exld , and Egg's exhibit, then you're missing a lot.
The lowbrow art scene here in Manila is boiling up people. Here's the proof.
I purposely did not post any works of Egg Fiasco so I don't spoil it all for you.

I suggest you go to White Box at Cubao X. The exhibit will run from today to next month.

KST LIMITED POSTER PRINTS. RISE.

RISE

In the after math of typhoon ONDOY, there has been an uprising. The country stopped for awhile to help out and do what they can.

In these trying times everyone has lost something and gained. Something lost means you have to regain it or else, you lose the essence of survival.We must demonstrate the class of what life presently is and could be.Let us put more action into our theories and beliefs.

**OCTOBER 10,SATURDAY, 2009
8 PM ONWARDS.
THE STREETS HAVE DRIED.
RISE UP.
FIRST EVER KST COLLABORATION PRINTS
20" x 30" HAND-PULLED PRINTS
8PM ONWARDS
THE STORE, UNIT 4A, CUBAO SHOE EXPO
ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON ONDOY
DISTRIBUTED BY PHILIPPINE RED CROSS (SHAW)MEGATENT AND ADMU


HOW DO I GET MINE?

• OPTION A: P200/PRINT
• OPTION B : A PACKAGE OF THE FOLLOWING:

3 CANNED GOODS,
2 PACKS OF NOODLES,
1 GALLON OF WATER,
1 ROLL OF TISSUE PAPER.
SHAMPOO
SOAP

ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE VICTIMS OF TYPHOON ONDOY
DISTRIBUTED BY THE PHILIPPINE RED CROSS, MEGATENT AND ADMU

FOR THE VICTIMS OF ONDOY

Get up. Stand up. Don't give up the fight.

19th Century Hip Hop

I remember the days when I couldn't wait to grow up and be a grown - up. But it's true :



You don't know what you got ' till it's gone says Jonie Mitchell



who never lied. So that means, Your reason for a better should of been genuine. I do it because it gives me a sort of peace-of-mind.
And for the love.

When I was a kid, the first kind of hip - hop I really liked was from Francis M. It was the song called Mga Kababyan Ko. I was around 5. Fast forward a few more years...

There was a radio station called power 108 that played music like this on - air. Being as I wasn't aware of music as a kid growing up in the 90's , Hearing these songs played on a radio station that wasn't very popular back then was a gem for me. I vividly remember learning how to drive back then, stealing my dad's car and driving around my village when suddenly they played these songs after the other. I immediately fell in love. I went on a search to broaden my palette for hip - hop music by going back in it's history. I realized then that looking back is where you can find the good ones.

I miss those days, when all I cared about was growing - up and having fun. Here's to that syndicated station. Here's to the wonder years.

CHICHI x NUNO Blockbuster

Charecter by Nuno. Letters by Chi Chi. Don't you wish all walls have this much soul?

To get a better look, click the picture.

Tumana Operation

With 3 pick up trucks worth of limited relief

These were all homes before washed away by the flood

As the volunteers got there .. the line quickly became longer.The people were so desperate they fought their way through the lines and pushed each - other
Well off into the night until the goods were all gone. Not everyone was able to receive goods.


Tumana, Marikina - - One of the least helped places and one of the most damaged ones during ONDOY. If there was one word to describe the sights and smells of the recent Tumana , it was INTENSE. As we got there and I went down the vehicle, people already knew what we were there for. "Relief po ba kayo?" a lady asks me. I said yes. And a line formed right in front of me. Dead smack in the middle of he bridge, causing traffic. I asked the leader of the operation what to do and he told me that we needed to organize the people. Tell them that they had to behave to receive relief and they will respectfully oblige.

If you are planning to go and deploy goods in areas.. COORDINATE with the local government so you can bring an escort. You will not be allowed access to these areas with out proper permission, Plus it's quite dangerous.

Nicole Gets A Lover

My lovely friend Nicole received a gift from me last week. I was given the chance and I customized her Ladera Dervish (long board) for her. I've been wanting to post a picture of it but couldn't 'cause we never had the time this past week.

Nicole is one of the producers of Red Ninja Productions. I will post a better photo when the time comes.

But here's to Nicole ! I give to you a Lover.

These Days.

These days are hard. These days are challenging. These days have been called bad. And these days have even been called apocalyptic. But I believe these days are not for the weak. These days are for the brave. These days are for forward thinkers. These days are for those who demand themselves to kill each and everything that they do. It's not enough to just do it right. You have to fuck it good. It's not enough to fuck it good. Check that remark , Cross it off and eat this. You have to kill it. It's the survival of the fittest yes it is mami and papi. So live with it, or fall - off. It s the purest form of the Darwinian perspective. But these days are the best of times.

It's the time when people become individuals in this vast spider - web spectacle of inter - connected events. Security. What is security? A secured man may be financially settled but he spent his life's goal dedicated to see his future plop down like a Yacht on a puddle. Grandiose but shallow. He sits and waits watching for the tomorrow that never comes. He will never realize until he finally sits back and looks at himself he realizes the prison he has built chasing the all mighty dollar.

If you look at the pages of history and see the people who have shaped the destiny of the world.
They never had security. But they lived rather than just existing. You see a pattern in which it takes commitment to a belief combined with determination results to individual and mass influence. A propaganda? Yes. But a positive one depending on one's beliefs. Where would we be if everybody just wanted security? If everybody just wanted life to a little more different and a little richer? We would see a propaganda that is lead by the bystanders ( by the vast majority) that say life is not worth living, that life has to be lived in just one way. A propaganda that takes away the ambition of the youth and sucks the life out of critical thinking. I call these people hamsters. They go on through life in a treadmill until they become too old and face death as they curse how they existed. They curse because they lacked the real courage to go through life and face the unknown.

A neo human is said to be the next evolution of the human race. In a book by Richard Dawkin
called the God Delusion, he says that the new human thinks in a more abstract manner. A neo human looks at an abstract painting and sees it perceives it as his own, and doesn't just see the picture. It doesn't just see the blot or the hue , it sees and understands the frame in which it is connected to. It does not just see the frame, it sees the wall to where it is attached and it takes in the surroundings.

In these times it's important to be brave. It's important to be loyal and committed, hard - working and lethal. In these times are we ready to evolve in our own pace? In these times we must evolve faster than what nature has had in line for us. These times are the purest form of the Darwinian perspective. These times are the best of times.

One Good Thing About Music, When It Hits You Feel No Pain

You know it's gonna be alright!!
When the ARMY
And the people's army get together.
Brian Kong and Taken By Cars played their part
Listen all of ya'll it's sabotagE!!
Techie Romantics

Blood Shedd

Thank you to mah seester Mandy Marcos for the lovely photos.

Ah yes, I think it was Bradley Nowell of Sublime that sang it best. And from 1pm to 9pm of October 1st 2009 it was the most honest thing , and the most real thing. Bands from all over the Philippines played under Megatent to raise the roof.

At first people were confused as to what they should have been doing. It's a good thing they got to their shocked senses after awhile as to the division of responsibility and time management. I.e. some kids were torn between seeing their favorite bands play and helping out. A little bit of common sense didn't hurt them. And they finally figured it out.

The vibe was great, a bit festive , a bit tired, a bit of "yeah , finally we can just lay back a bit". It was a mix of emotions , a mix of energy given off like Pandora's box was finally slowly closing. But lest I spoke too soon, I know there's more help to be done. We're a long way from getting back there. But the light can be seen.